BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Bemidji State baseball team was picked ninth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Baseball Coaches’ Poll released Thursday by the league office. The Beavers tallied 81 total points in the poll, while defending NSIC regular-season champion Minnesota State University, Mankato was tabbed as the preseason favorite.

During the 2014 season, Bemidji State went 21-22 overall and posted a 15-15 mark in the NSIC. Outfielder Dylan Webb and pitcher Drake Huggans were selected as BSU’s Players to Watch this season. Webb appeared in 33 games for the Beavers last season batting .262 with 20 hits, eight runs, two homeruns and 18 RBIs. He led the team in putouts, throwing down 258 along with a .933 fielding percentage.

Huggans recorded 19.1 innings pitched in 15 appearances on the mound for the Beavers to earn a 3-1 record to go with eight saves and a 4.19 earned run average. On the mound, Huggans only allowed 23 hits, 12 runs, walked 12 and struck out 23. He also took seven at-bats, charting three hits, including two doubles, three RBIs and a .429 batting average.

The Beavers’ season will get underway Feb. 12-13 as they travel to Topeka, Kan. to take on Washburn University with game times set for 2:30 p.m. both days.